Phoenix Ashes
by fieryfiasco
Summary: A series of oneshots centered around Phoenix McKinnon, the daughter of Marlene McKinnon. From receiving her Hogwarts letter to her fifth year at Hogwarts, join Phoenix as she explores who she is, where she fits in her world, and what it means to grow up a Weasley. (Prequel to Phoenix Rising)
1. The Letter

**Author's Note: ** I was planning on continuing Phoenix Rising but then I realized I need to go back to the beginning before I could move forward. Phoenix Ashes is a series of oneshots set before the beginning of PR and is, obviously, centered around Phoenix McKinnon. You don't need to read PA to understand PR but it does add more depth to Phoenix and her friends.

**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and co are owned by the ever fabulous JK Rowling. The only thing I own is Phoenix and various other originals you see running around.

* * *

**Chapter One  
**"The Letter"  
_September 18, 1989_

Today was the day. I was turning 11.

11 doesn't seem particularly special. I'd entered double digits on my tenth birthday, and I wasn't yet a teenager. 11 was kind of an in between number, you're not a kid but you're not considered a "young adult." So really, 11 wasn't that big of a deal.

Except for one thing: Hogwarts Acceptance Letters.

I've known about Hogwarts for as long as I can remember. I'd grown up knowing that, one day, I'd join my adopted brothers at a real life castle, learning magic and having adventures, just like my mum had. I would make new friends and see magical creatures and learn new spells and live in a castle and -

"Breakfast is ready!"

Breakfast! The post always arrived at breakfast...my letter was coming! I was so excited, I kept tripping while trying to get dressed. Eventually I had on my favorite outfit – an Appleby Arrows shirt, black shorts and the lion slippers Mama Molly got me last Christmas – and was running down the stairs.

"Is it here? Is it here?" I slid a little, trying to turn the corner into the kitchen but eventually made it to the table with only a few bruises. (Someone had moved the table next to the staircase and I hadn't realized that until _after_ I tried to jump on it. Whoops!)

"Phoenix dear, not yet. Calm down before you hurt yourself." Mama Molly said, coming over to gently push me into my seat. She looked down at my leg where the bruise was already starting to form. (Told you!) "Or should I say, hurt yourself _again._" She hurried off to yell up the staircase again and I started piling food on my plate. Arthur was already at the table and Bill was coming in right as I started on my eggs.

"You excited Nix? Today's the day, isn't it?" Bill said, ruffling my hair as he walked past me to get to his chair. My mouth full of eggs, I just nodded and he chuckled. "Careful there, don't want to choke to death before you even get it." My eyes went wide and I swallowed my food, careful to start taking smaller bites. Really, growing up in a family with 6 boys, it wasn't a surprise that I'd picked up some of their habits.

I'd lived with the Weasley's for as long as I could remember. My mum had died when I was three years old. Mama Molly had always said that when I was old enough she would tell me more about my mother. I hope it's soon, I don't really remember much about her. I have this kind of foggy memory of sitting in the grass, watching a horse with wings gallop around me and a woman sitting next to me. I know she's my mum because she looks like the pictures I have of her. I look like her a little bit, but my blonde hair is lighter than hers and my eyes are more grey than blue. She was very pretty and I hope I look like her when I get older.

Mama Molly comes back to the table, Ron and Ginny behind her. Charlie, Percy, Fred and George were at Hogwarts, the lucky ducks. You couldn't go to Hogwarts until you were 11 years old. Fred and George had turned 11 in April so this was their first year. I was 11 too, but your birthday had to be before September 1 and mine was on the eighteenth. So I had to wait _a whole year _before I could be at Hogwarts too. Ron would be going the year after me and Ginny was going the year after him. Bill had graduated from Hogwarts this year so he was staying with us until he got his own place. He applied to work at Gringotts to join the Curse-Breaker team (so cool!) and he's really smart, so I'm sure he'll get the job. I'll miss him when he leaves. I was closest to Fred and George but I love all of my brothers and my little sister too.

We're halfway through breakfast when we hear the screech of an owl. I screech too. My letter is here! It seems like it takes forever for Errol to land, silly old bird, and then Bill has to untie it, but finally it's in my hands. My letter! I stare at the front of it, my eyes wide. It says:

_**Phoenix McKinnon  
**__**Kitchen, The Burrow  
**__**Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon**_

"Well," says Arthur, a smile on his face. "Are you going to open it?" Don't have to tell me twice! I tear the envelope open, careful not to rip the letter as I pull it out, then read it.

"Dear Miss McKinnon – that's me! - we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on the first of September. We await your owl by no later than the thirty-first of July. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall. I'm going to Hogwarts!" Every one claps and I can't stop smiling. Charlie's owl Merlin arrives with cards and presents from the boys at Hogwarts but I'm still staring at my letter. I was going to Hogwarts, just like Bill and Charlie and Percy and Fred and George and Mama Molly and Arthur. Just like my mum.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So that's young Phoenix. For those wondering why the style is a little different from PR (young voice, less description) I'm trying to write as if young Phoenix was telling the story herself.. It's a little harder than I thought. I instinctively want to change all of the errors. ^_^ Reviews are very much appreciated and thank you for reading!


	2. Diagon Alley

**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and co are owned by the ever fabulous JK Rowling. The only thing I own is Phoenix and various other originals you see running around.

* * *

**Chapter Two  
**"Diagon Alley"  
_September 23, 1989_

"Phoenix dear, are you ready?"

"Almost mama Molly!" I tore around the room, trying to find my red trainers. We were headed to Diagon Alley and those were my most comfortable shoes. "I knew I should have got my things together last night." Percy always talked about making sure you were ready. Looks like I should have paid more attention to him. I finally found them – one underneath my bed and the other behind Ginny's dresser. Pulling them on and lacing them up took another minute, but I saved a little time by hopping over the banister and landing on an armchair. Grinning, I jumped off the chair and struck a pose. "Victory!"

"Phoenix Pandora McKinnon, I _told _you not to jump on the furniture!." Molly gave me a stern look before holding out the floo powder bag. I took some, then waited for the usual headcount. "Phoenix, Ginny, Ron, Bill, Arthur's at work, I'm right here and the others are at Hogwarts. Looks like we've got everyone. Bill, you first, then Phoenix, Ron, then Ginny and I."

Bill stepped into the fireplace, threw down his powder, then said "Diagon Alley." There was a flash of green flames, and he was gone. Traveling by floo fire still amazed me, even though I'd been doing it since I was six. I had no idea how it worked. Maybe it'd be something I learned about at Hogwarts!

After Molly nodded to me, I walked into the fireplace and chucked my powder on the ground. "Diagon Alley!" There was the sensation of spinning and I closed my eyes. It stopped after a moment and I stepped out of the fireplace into the Leaky Cauldron. Bill caught my arm as I stumbled a bit. "Didn't stick this landing, did you." I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed. Ron came out of the fireplace next, coughing on soot. Another moment and Molly and Ginny joined us. (Ginny stepped out of the wrong grate _once_ and Molly had been flooing with her ever since.)

"I can't believe you've never been to Diagon Alley," Ron said, once he'd gotten the soot out of his lungs. We made our way through the Leaky Cauldron and toward the brick wall entrance to Diagon Alley.

"I've been _to _Diagon Alley, I just haven't been _in _it." Molly and Arthur gave us all a choice: if we wanted to wait until after we'd gotten our letters to visit the Alley, we could. Or we could go before we got our letters. I was the only one who chose to wait. Any time the family went to Diagon Alley, I would wait in the Leaky Cauldron or stay at home (with a chaperone of course.) Once I was old enough to be left alone, the twins and I would explore the Cauldron, getting into things we weren't supposed to and trying to work up the courage to sneak into muggle London. (We never did.)

I was practically vibrating with excitement as we came up to the wall. "Now watch this, Nix." Bill walked up to the wall, pulled out his wand and tapped the correct bricks. Right before my eyes, the wall began to reassemble itself into an arch. And in front of me? Diagon Alley.

* * *

"Woah. That was intense!" My eyes were wide as I climbed out of the mine cart. Molly and I were deep below Diagon Alley, about to get into my vault. (The others had gone to look at brooms.) "I didn't know I had my own vault." We'd just come from the Weasley vault where Molly had taken a few coins off of the small stack inside. The ride to my vault seemed a steeper and kind of dangerous. I could have sworn I heard a dragon roar in the distance...

"It used to be your mother's vault," Molly said as we followed the goblin. "She had inherited a bit of money from her mother's family. When she died, the contents of the vault became yours." We came to a tall door, larger than the one that had guarded the Weasley vault. How big was this vault?

"Vault 593. Key please." The goblin, I think his name was Bogrod, took the key that Molly held out and opened the vault. I was shocked. This was a _bit _of gold? There were stacks of galleons, mounds of sickles and a mountain of knuts. To the back I could see a few pieces of elegant looking furniture. There were empty areas here and there with dusty outlines, as if there had been something there at one point but it had been moved. Close to the door were a few boxes. I went to those first.

"Living room shelves. Linens. P's old toys. Are these..from mum's old house?" A box on top of a nearby desk caught my eye. "Marly's. Do not touch." Underneath it was a list. _Photo albums, Hogwarts essays, journal. _"Mum's journal!" I opened the box and began pulling things out but I didn't see a journal. There were a lot of photo albums though, and I was interested in seeing more pictures. Maybe there were more pictures of me and mum. Maybe there was a picture of my dad! "Mama Molly, can I put these in your handbag?" She took the photo albums from me and put them into her bag while I looked through the papers mum had chosen to keep. "Hinkypunks, red caps, winged horses, grindylows...mum really liked magical creatures. I think I'm going to take these too." I handed them to Molly.

"Grab some money dear and put it in this." She handed me a red velvet coin purse. "It's a gift from Bill." I remembered the small stack of coins in the Weasley vault and suddenly all of the money around me didn't seem as cool. I shoved a few handfuls of coins into the bag, then followed Molly out of the vault. The goblin locked it back up, then handed me the key. I held it out for Molly, frowing. "Mama Molly? If I had all that money in the vault, why didn't you...I mean, you could have used some of it. I wouldn't have minded."

Molly looked at me for a moment, then gave me a small smile. "Let's go get something to eat and we can talk."

* * *

"-and those old pureblood families like to make things difficult, so your vault was sealed until you turned eleven." Molly and I were eating lunch in the Leaky Cauldron, sitting a table away from Bill, Ginny and Ron. We each had a sandwich and a bottle of butterbeer, something I'd been eager to try.

"But you were taking care of me. I'm sure my mum would have been okay with you using my money."

"I'm sure she would have dear, your mother was very kind, just like you are. But we didn't take you in for money. We took you in to be a part of our family." I opened my mouth to protest but Molly wouldn't have any of it. "Phoenix Pandora McKinnon, I won't have another word about this. You don't need to worry about our finances. Finish your sandwich."

I still felt unsure but did as I was told. All those years when Molly and Arthur paid for my things and they could have been using that money for something else. It didn't seem right that the Weasley's had to buy secondhand things when there was a vault full of gold with my name on it.

After we finished eating, Molly asked me if I still wanted to do my shopping. "Can I just get my wand and then come back for my books when the twins are on break?" She nodded and a few minutes later, I was walking into Ollivanders. (Alone. I was too nervous to want any witnesses.)

A strange and intense looking old man came out from behind a shelf. "Ah, a young Miss Malfoy. Come to get your wand?"

"No, I mean...I'm not a Malfoy. I'm Phoenix McKinnon. But I am here for a wand."

He looked confused. "Are you really? You look just like a young Narcissa...hm...nevermind then. I am Mr. Ollivander, the owner of this shop and a maker of wands. May I get your measurements? Yes, good. You may know that there are many types of wand wood but I only use three cores: phoenix feather, dragon heartstring, and unicorn hair. Now you say you're a McKinnon. Was your mother Marlene McKinnon?" I nodded a little bit, trying to hold still as a tape measure floated around me, taking my measurements. "I remember when she came in here. She was chosen by an eleven inch, cherry wand with a unicorn hair core. Rather bendy, excellent for charms. That's enough," he waved his hand and the tape measure dropped. "Let's see which wand will bond with you."

He wandered down the shelves and I waited, watching the tape measure slither around the floor like some sort of weird snake. After a few minutes, Ollivander came back with a wand box in each hand and a puzzled look on his face. "Miss McKinnon, I have seen many unusual things happen in this store. I have seen people get chosen by the first wand they try, I've seen people try every single wand in this shop and only bond with the very last one. Very rarely, however, have I seen two wands call to one witch or wizard. This may be one of those cases." He laid the two boxes on the counter, opened one of them and took out the wand inside. "Eleven and a half inches, willow, phoenix feather. Try this and tell me what it feels like."

I took the wand from him and instantly felt a breeze lift the hair off of my shoulders. Gold light sparked at the tip of the wand. The feelings intensified until Ollivander took the wand from me and laid it gently back in it's box. "It was...strange. But in a good way. It felt like drinking hot cocoa after playing in the snow. It warms you up slowly."

Ollivander nodded, then opened the second case, removing the wand and holding it out. "And again. This one is eleven and three quarter inches, mahogany, with a dragon heartstring core."

Again, I took the wand. This time, instead of gradually picking up power, I felt an intense, immediate response. My hair whipped around my head and silver sparks showered out of the end of the wand. I handed the wand back to him, not waiting for him to request it. "There was that power again, but it was different. Almost too much. I'm not sure I liked that."

Ollivander held the second wand, watching me with his head tilted to the side. "Gold and silver, silver and gold. Not a Malfoy, but a McKinnon. Not just McKinnon though, but what? Gold _and _silver... Interesting." He shook his head. "The first wand then, Miss McKinnon?" I nodded and he put the second wand back in the box before handing me the first one. "Seven galleons." I paid him, then stopped out of the shop. Molly was outside waiting for me.

"Get a wand, dear?"

I nodded. "Ollivander was weird though."

Molly laughed. "Yes, he usually is a bit odd. Ready to go home?"

I nodded and we went to find the others.


	3. Return to Diagon Alley

**Author's Note: **You might notice that there are now dates underneath every chapter title. I'm using the Harry Potter Lexicon as a reference, particularly the table in their essay on the ages of the Weasley children located here. If the dates are wrong, which they very well may be, I apologize. Some of it will be error but some will be my alterations. This is AU after all.

**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and co are owned by the ever fabulous JK Rowling. The only thing I own is Phoenix and various other originals you see running around.

* * *

**Chapter Three  
**"Return to Diagon Alley"  
_December 19, 1989_

"Why aren't they here yet?" I know I sounded like I was whining. I _was _whining. At least it was Bill with me, and not mama Molly. But really, could you blame me? I missed my brothers – Fred and George especially. I needed to talk to someone about everything.

Ever since my trip to Diagon Alley, I've felt weird. Every hand me down outfit that Ginny wore, every thing that broke that we couldn't afford to fix until later, every time Molly or Arthur said "we'll just have to save some money," all I could think about was that vault of gold. It didn't seem right. The Weasleys were good people, they should have good things happen to them. Every time they bought me something, every time they made me something to eat, I wanted to say 'stop giving me things. It's my turn to give to you.' But I didn't know how.

I was hoping that my two favorite people would be able to help me. We'd put our mines together and come up with some of the most brilliant pranks. I'm sure the twins could help me figure something out. But first they had to get here.

Bill and I were sitting on a bench next to platform 10. Just like I had waited for Diagon Alley, I was waiting until the first of September to step onto Platform 9¾. Everyone else wanted to see the boys step off the train but Bill said he'd wait with me. I'd be happy if I wasn't practically sure he was just doing it to keep an eye on me. As if I'd get in trouble in front of muggles...again. (Long story. Let's just say it was one of the first times I displayed magic and we ended up having to call the ministry...)

"You know Nix, you could show a little excitement."

I gave Bill a Look (I picked it up from mama Molly.) "William Arthur Weasley, I'm 11 years old but I _do _understand sarcasm." He just laughed at me and I stuck my tongue out at him. See? I was maturing. Normally I would have smacked him.

A few students and their parents began popping out of the wall between platforms 9 and 10. I climbed up onto the bench, making sure I had a good view so I wouldn't miss it when my brothers came out.

"Bill look! The train's here! Do you see them? Ooh, look at that girl's hair! Aww a kitty! Why aren't they ou- Fred!"

I jumped off the bench and ran across the platform. It was a good thing Fred's hands were empty because I threw my arms around him when I got to him.

"Oof, hi Nixie." He hugged me back. Merlin, it felt great being back with my best friend.

"Hey! Where's my hug?" I let go of Fred and spun around. "George!" I hugged him too. "You guys look different." Their hair was a little longer, and kind of shaggy. They both had on Quidditch shirts – George had the Wimbourne Wasps and Fred wore England's national team colors – but had either forgotten to take off their house ties or didn't care to. "Couldn't get the knots undone?"

"No," said George while Fred said "Yes." I laughed, then helped them untie them. George used his to smack Percy in the back of the head, but Fred draped his around my neck. "Get used to it, that's what you'll be wearing next year."

I touched the silky fabric. "Hopefully in these colors too." All of my brothers had gone into Gryffindor, but that didn't mean I would too. My mum was a Gryffindor too, but houses didn't always run in families. You were sorted into the house that you fit into the best. I liked to think I was brave, but what if I wasn't? I guess Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff wouldn't be too bad, but what would Molly and Arthur think if I was put in Slytherin? What would the twins think?

"Nix, you coming?" The Weasley's were heading out of the train station but Fred and George were waiting for me.

"What? Yeah, sorry. Just thinking."

George nodded. "Ah yes, thinking. Careful, that can be dangerous."

"Don't want to make a habit of it," Fred agreed. He put his arm around my shoulder and we followed our family out of the station.

* * *

_December 22, 1989_

"So wait, you're saying that you have loads of money-"

"-and you never told us? Nixie, I'm hurt."

Fred, George and I were in Diagon Alley. The rest of our family was here too, but we'd been allowed to go off on our own as long as we stayed in Diagon Alley. That was fine with me, I still had to get my books and supplies for school. It also gave me a chance to talk to the twins about my little money situation. "_I _just found out a few months ago. It's not like I've been hiding it. But that's not the point. Molly and Arthur took me in. They've spent a lot of money on me. And it's not like..."

"Like we have a lot of money to begin with?" George said. I nodded.

"I feel like I've been taking money that could have been better used for other things."

Fred bumped my shoulder. "That's not your fault Nixie. You just said you only just found out about it. And if those dolts at the Ministry had it locked down, it's not like mum and dad could have got it anyway."

"And they wouldn't use it, because it's _yours._"

"Yes, yes, I get that, but it still feels..._weird. _I can't do anything about the past but what do I do _now?_" The boys looked at each other, then looked at me like I was stupid.

"If it means that much to you," Fred started. "Pay them back!" They said in unison.

I blinked. "I don't know why I didn't think of that." I don't know how I could have. I'd gone straight to worrying.

George gave me a smug smile. "Oh Phoenix, don't feel too down. We're educated men now-

"-it's only natural we're smarter." Fred winked.

I snorted. "Sure, sure. You came up with _one _good idea. Don't get ahead of yourselves." I noticed Ollivander's up ahead. "I almost forgot. Ollivander seemed a bit odd when I got my wand. He thought I was a Malfoy."

George made a face. "A Malfoy? I hope not. Wonder why he thought you were a Malfoy."

Fred looked me over. "Maybe it's the hair? Those pictures of Lucius Malfoy in the papers, he's got that long, blonde hair too."

"Great, I'm hair twins with Lucius Malfoy." I groaned.

"Don't worry about Ollivander, Nixie." Fred said as we stepped around a crowd of holiday shoppers. "He rambled to me about loyalty and commitment."

"And he told that the line between order and chaos was blurry." George shrugged. "I think he told Lee Jordan something about a clown. Or was that the time he ran into a seer..."

The boys entertained me with stories of Hogwarts as we made our way through my supply list. While I was fitted for my robes, they ran down to the ice cream parlor to get us – what else? - ice cream cones. I managed to give them the slip in Quality Quidditch Supplies long enough for me to get their presents – a starter ball set so we could play Quidditch – but that was pretty easy, they were looking at the racing brooms. For a minute I fantasized about buying us all new brooms – we were using Charlie & Bill's old brooms – but I wasn't that reckless.

...Not yet anyway.


End file.
